Martin Luther King Jr. Day by Annika VanderBeek
Some people may think that this Monday is just another normal day, but what you may have forgotten is that Monday, January 15th is Martin Luther King Day! Here at Saugatuck Public Schools, we take this day to honor this important man by taking a day off from school for all students and teachers.
Each year, Martin Luther King Day is held on the Monday closest to his birthday, and this year the holiday is actually on the exact day of his birthday! Martin Luther King Junior was born on January 15th, 1929, in Atlanta Georgia, and as many people know by now, he was a very important leader of the American civil rights movement in the 1960s. His most well-known speech he gave was the “I Have A Dream” speech, which he delivered on August 28th, 1963. He gave this speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial when he was only 34 years old.
Martin Luther King had always dreamt that everybody who lived in the United States of America would be judged by their personal qualities and traits, not by the color of their skin. He wanted to make a difference in America which is what led him to lead this movement. He also referred to Gandhi's philosophy of doing things nonviolently. For this reason, Martin Luther King was given the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964.
Martin Luther King’s speech is the main reason why racial segregation has ended by now. America really just needed that spark to release the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
Although there was a lot of support for King’s speech, of course, some opposed it. At 6:05 pm on Thursday, April 4th, 1968, Martin was shot and killed in Memphis, Tennessee. Later an escaped fugitive named James Earl Ray confessed to this murder and was sentenced to prison. There was one thing Martin Luther King wanted to be remembered for, and it was that he was a martyr. “I’d like somebody to mention that day that Martin Luther King, Jr., tried to give his life serving others” (King, “Drum Major Instinct,” 85).
So when you are at home this Monday, remember why you get this day off, and be thankful for what this man has done for America. Happy Martin Luther King Day!
Each year, Martin Luther King Day is held on the Monday closest to his birthday, and this year the holiday is actually on the exact day of his birthday! Martin Luther King Junior was born on January 15th, 1929, in Atlanta Georgia, and as many people know by now, he was a very important leader of the American civil rights movement in the 1960s. His most well-known speech he gave was the “I Have A Dream” speech, which he delivered on August 28th, 1963. He gave this speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial when he was only 34 years old.
Martin Luther King had always dreamt that everybody who lived in the United States of America would be judged by their personal qualities and traits, not by the color of their skin. He wanted to make a difference in America which is what led him to lead this movement. He also referred to Gandhi's philosophy of doing things nonviolently. For this reason, Martin Luther King was given the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964.
Martin Luther King’s speech is the main reason why racial segregation has ended by now. America really just needed that spark to release the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
Although there was a lot of support for King’s speech, of course, some opposed it. At 6:05 pm on Thursday, April 4th, 1968, Martin was shot and killed in Memphis, Tennessee. Later an escaped fugitive named James Earl Ray confessed to this murder and was sentenced to prison. There was one thing Martin Luther King wanted to be remembered for, and it was that he was a martyr. “I’d like somebody to mention that day that Martin Luther King, Jr., tried to give his life serving others” (King, “Drum Major Instinct,” 85).
So when you are at home this Monday, remember why you get this day off, and be thankful for what this man has done for America. Happy Martin Luther King Day!